The effect of motherhood on scientific productivity analyzed through the obtaining for six-year research periods (1990-2020)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3989/redc.2024.1.1451Keywords:
Gender, motherhood, children, scientific productivity, six year termAbstract
This study addresses the issue of scientific productivity and differences between sexes. The causes of it are reviewed, especially motherhood. The case of the University of Granada is analyzed over the last 30 years. The rate of obtaining six-year terms and the time invested to do so have been used as an explanatory variable. We think that it is an appropriate tool since it neutralizes many of the factors that are considered explanatory of these inequalities, such as the research/teaching orientation of universities, extreme cases of productivity and also discards non-productive authors.
The results confirm that the arrival of children affects the productivity of the research population; which does so to a greater extent in women and implies significant delays when requesting six-year terms. Likewise, it is confirmed that it is greater to the extent that there are more children but that it fades over time.
Downloads
References
Abramo, G., Andrea D'angelo, C., y Caprasecca, A. (2009). Gender differences in research productivity: A bibliometric analysis of the Italian academic system. Scientometrics, 79(3), 517-539. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-007-2046-8
Alonso-Arroyo, A., Bolaños-Pizarro, M., González-Alcaide, G., Villamón, M., y Aleixandre-Benavent, R. (2010). Análisis de género, productividad científica y colaboración de las profesoras universitarias de Ciencias de la Salud en la Comunidad Valenciana (2003-2007). Revista Española de Documentación Científica, 33(4), 624-642. https://doi.org/10.3989/redc.2010.4.764
Arensbergen, P. Van, Weijden, I. Van Der, y Van den Besselaar, P. (2012). Gender differences in scientific productivity: a persisting phenomenom?. Scientometrics, 93(3), 857-868. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-012-0712-y PMid:23162173 PMCid:PMC3495100
Barrios, M., Villarroya, A., y Borrego, A. (2013). Scientific production in psychology: a gender analysis. Scientometrics, 95, 15-23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-012-0816-4
Bordons, M., Fernanda Morillo, M., y Teresa Fernández, I. G. (2003). One step further in the production of bibliometric indicators at the micro level: differences by gender and professional. Scientometrics, 57(2), 159-173. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024181400646
Cabezas-Clavijo, A., y Torres-Salinas, D. (2015). Los sexenios de investigación. Ed. Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.
Ceci, S. J., Ginther, D. K., Kahn, S., y Williams, W. M. (2014). Women in Academic Science: a Changing Landscape. Psychological Science in the public interest, 15(3), 75-141. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100614541236 PMid:26172066
Cole, J. R. (1979). Fair science. The Free Press.
Cole, J. R., y Zuckerman, H. (1984). The Productivity Puzzle: persistence and Change in Patterns of Publication Among Men and Women Scientists. En Steinkamp, M.W., Maehr, M. (eds.). Advances in Motivation and Achievement, 218-258. JAI Press Inc.
Davis, D., y Astin, H. (1985). Research Productivity Across the Life- and Career Cycles: Facilitators and Predictors for Women. En Fox, M.F. (ed.), Scholarly Writing and Publishing: Issues, Problems, and Solutions, 147-60. Routledge.
Delgado López-Cózar, E., Jiménez Contreras, E., y Ruiz-Pérez, R. (2009). La ciencia española a través de la Web of Science (1996-2007): las disciplinas. El Profesional de la Información, 18 (4), 437-443. https://doi.org/10.3145/epi.2009.jul.13
Derrick, G. E., Chen, P., Leeuwen, T. Van, y Larivière, V. (2021). The academic motherload: Models of parenting engagement and the effect on academic productivity and performance (preprint).
Fernández Esquinas, M., Pérez Yruela, M., y Merchán Hernández, C. (2006). El sistema de incentivos y recompensas en la ciencia pública española. En Sebastián, J. y Muñoz, E. (eds.). Radiografía de la investigación pública en España, 148-206. Biblioteca Nueva.
Fox, M. F. (2005). Gender, Family Characteristics, and Publication Productivity among Scientists. Social Studies of Science, 35(1), 131-150. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306312705046630
Fox, M. F., y Fonseca, C. (2011). Work and family conflict in academic science: Patterns and predictors among women and men in research universities. Social Studies of Science, 41(5), 715-35. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306312711417730 PMid:22164721
Gallardo, M. (2021). Does maternity affect women's careers?. Perceptions of working mothers in academia. Educación XXI, 24(1), 405-427. https://doi.org/10.5944/educxx1.26714
Gómez Caridad, I., Fernández Muñoz, M. T., Bordons Gangas, M., y Morillo Ariza, F. (2007). La actividad científica del CSIC a través del Web of Science: estudio bibliométrico del período 2001-2005. Centro de Información y Documentación Científica (CINDOC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC).
Gómez Caridad, I., Sancho, R., Bordons, M., y Fernández, M. T. (2006). La I+D en España a través de publicaciones y patentes. En: Sebastián, J. y Muñoz, E. (eds.). Radiografía de la investigación pública en España, 263-302. Biblioteca Nueva.
González-Álvarez, J., y Cervera-Crespo, T. (2017). Research production in high-impact journals of contemporary neuroscience: a gender analysis. Journal of Informetrics, 11(1), 232-243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2016.12.007
Hunter, L. A., y Leahey, E. (2010). Parenting and research productivity: new evidence and methods. Social Studies of Science, 40(3), 433-451. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306312709358472
Jaksztat, S. (2017). Geschlecht und wissenschaftliche Produktivität: Erklären Elternschaft und wissenschaftliches Sozialkapital Produktivitätsunterschiede während der Promotionsphase?. Zeitschrift für Soziologie, 46(5), 347-361. https://doi.org/10.1515/zfsoz-2017-1019
Jiménez Contreras, E., Moya Anegón, F., y Delgado López-Cózar, E. (2003). The evolution of research activity in Spain: the impact of the National Commission for the Evaluation of Research Activity (CNEAI). Research Policy, 32, 132-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0048-7333(02)00008-2
Komlenac, N., Gustafsson Sendén, M., Verdonk, P., Hochleitner, M., y Siller, H. (2019). Parenthood does not explain the gender difference in clinical position in academic medicine among Swedish, Dutch and Austrian physicians. Advances in Health Sciences Education: Theory and Practice, 24(3), 539-557. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-019-09882-9 PMid:30840215 PMCid:PMC6647470
Kyvik, S., y Teigen, M. (1996). Child Care, Research Collaboration, and Gender Differences in Scientific Productivity. Science, Technology, & Human Values, 21(1), 54-71. https://doi.org/10.1177/016224399602100103
Larivière, V., Vignola-Gagné, E., Villeneuve, C. P., Gélinas, P., y Gingras, Y. (2011). Sex differences in research funding, productivity and impact: an analysis of Québec university professors. Scientometrics, 87, 483-498. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-011-0369-y
Lawson, C., Geuna, A., y Finardi, U. (2021). The funding-productivity-gender nexus in science, a multistage analysis. Research Policy, 50(3), 104182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2020.104182
Leahey, E. (2006). Gender differences in productivity: research specialization as a missing link. Gender & Society, 20(6), 754-780. https://doi.org/10.1177/0891243206293030
LERU-League of European Research Universities. (2012). Women, research and universities: excellence without gender bias. LERU. Disponible en: https://www.leru.org/files/Women-Research-and-Universities-Excellence-without-Gender-Bias-Full-paper.pdf.
Lee, S., y Bozeman, B. (2005). The Impact of Research Collaboration on Scientific Productivity. Social Studies of Science, 35(5), 673-702. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306312705052359
Libro Blanco. (2011). Libro Blanco. Situación de las Mujeres en la Ciencia Española. Unidad de Mujeres y Ciencia. Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. ISBN: 4-7010-0263-1. Disponible en: https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/libro?codigo=479571.
Loison, A., Paye, S., Schermann, A., Bry, C., Gaillard, J.-M., Pelabon, C., y Bråthen, K.-A. (2017). The domestic basis of the scientific career: gender inequalities in ecology in France and Norway. European Educational Research Journal, 16(2-3), 230-257. https://doi.org/10.1177/1474904116672469
Long, JS. (1992). Measures of Sex Differences in Scientific Productivity. Social Forces, 71 (1), 159-178. https://doi.org/10.2307/2579971
Lutter, M., y Schroder, M. (2020). Is There a Motherhood Penalty in Academia?. The Gendered Effect of Children on Academic Publications in German Sociology. European Sociological Review, 36(3), 442-459. https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcz063
Mauleón, E., y Bordons, M. (2006). Productivity, impact and publication: habits by gender. Scientometrics, 66(1), 199-218. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-006-0014-3
Mauleón, E., Bordons, M., y Oppenheim, C. (2008). The effect of gender on research staff success in life sciences in the Spanish National Research Council. Scientometrics, 95(1), 87-114. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-012-0824-4
Morn, J. (2017). Engineers: frequency and perceived barriers, by regions. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 42(6), 1292-1306. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-016-9512-5
Moya Anegón, F. de, Chinchilla Rodríguez, Z., Benavent Pérez, M., Corera-Álvarez, E., González Molina, A., y Vargas Quesada, B. (2008). Indicadores bibliométricos de la actividad científica española 2008. Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (FECYT).
Moya Anegón, F. de, Chinchilla Rodríguez, Z., Corera Álvarez, E., Gómez Crisóstomo, M. R., González Molina, A., Muñoz Fernández, F. J., y Vargas Quesada, B. (2007). Indicadores bibliométricos de la actividad científica española (1990-2004). Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (FECYT).
Olmeda Gómez, C., Perianes Rodríguez, A., Ovalle Perandones, M. A., y Gallardo Martín, A. (2006). La investigación en colaboración de las universidades españolas (2000-2004). Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia. Disponible en: http://hdl.handle.net/10016/10030.
Olmeda Gómez, C., Perianes Rodríguez, A., Ovalle Perandones, M., Guerrero Bote, V. P., y Moya Anegón, F. (2009). Visualization of scientific co-authorship in Spanish universities: from regionalization to internationalization. Aslib Proceedings: New Information Perspectives, 61(1), 83-100. https://doi.org/10.1108/00012530910932302
Pino Mejías, J.L. (2013). La política científica en Andalucía. Junta de Andalucía. Disponible en: https://idus.us.es/bitstream/handle/11441/44861/La%20pol%C3%ADtica%20cient%C3%ADfica%20en%20Andaluc%C3%ADa.pdf.
Prpić, K. (2002). Gender and productivity differentials in science. Scientometrics, 55, 27-58. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016046819457
Ruiz-Pérez, R., Delgado López-Cózar, E., y Jiménez-Contreras, E. (2010). Principios y criterios utilizados en España por la Comisión Nacional Evaluadora de la Actividad Investigadora (CNEAI) para la valoración de las publicaciones científicas: 1989-2009. Psicothema, 22(4), 898-908.
Sanz-Cruzado, S. P., Santos, A. M. C., Ruiz-Benito, P., y Villén-Pérez, S. (2021). The perception of the impact of maternity and paternity in scientific careers in Life Sciences in Spain. Ecosistemas, 30(1).
Sax, L. J., Hagedorn, L. S., Arredondo, M., y Dicrisi, F. A. (2002). Faculty research productivity: Exploring the role of gender and family-related factors. Research in Higher Education, 43(4), 423-446. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015575616285
She figures. (2021). Gender in research and innovation: statistics and indicators, Publications Office. Disponible en: https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2777/06090.
Sotudeh, H., & Khoshian, N. (2014). Gender differences in science: the case of scientific productivity in Nano Science & Technology during 2005-2007. Scientometrics, 98, 457-472. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-013-1031-7
Stack, S. (2004). Gender, children and research productivity. Research in Higher Education, 45(8), 891-920. D https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-004-5953-z
Takahashi, A. M., Takahashi, S., & Maloney, T. N. (2018). Gender gaps in STEM in Japanese academia: the impact of research productivity, outside offers, and home life on pay. Social Science Journal, 55(3), 245-272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soscij.2018.02.013
Unión Europea. (2014). Cómo combatir la brecha salarial entre hombres y mujeres en la Unión Europea. Publications Office. Disponible en: https://www.inmujeres.gob.es/publicacioneselectronicas/documentacion/Documentos/DE1460.pdf.
Vela, B., Cáceres, P., & Cavero, J. M. (2012). Participation of women in software engineering publications. Scientometrics, 93, 661-669. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-012-0774-x
Xie, Y., y Shauman, K. A. (1998). Sex differences in research productivity: New evidence about an old puzzle. American Sociological Review, 63(6), 847-870. https://doi.org/10.2307/2657505
Xie, Y., y Shauman, K. A. (2004). Women in science: career processes and outcomes (review). Social Forces, 82 (4), 1669-1671. https://doi.org/10.1353/sof.2004.0086
Zeng XHT, Duch J, Sales-Pardo M, Moreira JAG, Radicchi F, Ribeiro HV, Woodruff, T. K., y Nunes Amaral, L. A. (2016). Differences in Collaboration Patterns across Discipline, Career Stage, and Gender. PLoS Biol, 14(11): e1002573. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002573 PMid:27814355 PMCid:PMC5096717
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
© CSIC. Manuscripts published in both the print and online versions of this journal are the property of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, and quoting this source is a requirement for any partial or full reproduction.
All contents of this electronic edition, except where otherwise noted, are distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence. You may read the basic information and the legal text of the licence. The indication of the CC BY 4.0 licence must be expressly stated in this way when necessary.
Self-archiving in repositories, personal webpages or similar, of any version other than the final version of the work produced by the publisher, is not allowed.